The Journal of Modern Craft

Traditionally, craft objects were imbued not only with utilitarian and aesthetic value, they also had the capacity to ward off evil or help achieve good fortune. From our modernist standpoint, to engage with the dimension of ‘power’ in craft today seems nostalgic, if not superstitious.

But are there examples of where objects still play an important role in dealing with forces beyond our control, like our bodies and nature?

I think there’s great value in recovering ‘power’ as a way of understanding the meaning of craft. The challenge is to find a way of doing this without resorting to vague poetic statements.

This post continues a conversation within Craft Talk at http://grou.ps/craftalk/talks/4911859